Lawless Lieutenant
by Solar Eclipse23
Summary: He first met her as a hardened orphan on the streets of Rukon, and was drawn to her immediately. Years later, a headstrong Renji found her once more at the Soul Reaper Academy. She needed him. She just didn't want to be saved. Renji,OC. Sexual content.
1. Prologue: Interlude I

_All around me are familiar faces  
Worn out places, worn out faces  
Bright and early for the daily races  
Going nowhere, going nowhere_

_And I find it kind of funny  
I find it kind of sad  
The dreams in which I'm dying  
Are the best I've ever had  
I find it hard to tell you  
I find it hard to take  
When people run in circles  
It's a very, very mad world_

--Mad World, Gary Jules

-----------------------------------------

The first thing you noticed about Hanging Dog was the smell.

No matter where you went, or how far into the forest you ran, it was always in the air, lingering like a bad omen: that scent of sweat, dirt, and blood. The smell of filth-caked limbs in the sun.

He had spent years wandering around the bright and dusty streets, living as a scavenger for as long as he could remember. As soon as he had been old enough to walk, he was forced to run, to scrounge a life out of the dank and grimy alleys of the 78th District of South Rukon. All around him the pain and suffering of thousands of people was so prevalent it made him sick to his stomach. Left and right were scrawny children, dressed in dirt-stained rags as they ran about the roads, swiping bags of rock candy from sweaty merchants and water jugs from street vendors. He observed it all, and learned. And when the time came, he became one of them. He stole to survive. He fought for his right to live.

Those were the rules. Those were the laws of Hanging Dog: those who find, keep. Those who hesitate, lose. Trust no one. Show no fear, show no mercy.

It wasn't the most righteous way to live, far from it. But in a down and dirty village where death or beatings were just a stone's throw away, it wasn't the time to become caught up in the shame of the illegal ventures. People had to survive, and he planned on being one of them.

He wasn't sure how old he had been when he first met Soji and Jiro – the years tended to melt into one long, sordid blur. He doubted any of the other children knew their age. Soji was one of the rare ones who kept track of the time, despite everything else. He had been living on the streets for three years before Renji had met him. Jiro had been around for two.

Renji had been attacked one rainy day by a group of older kids, bullies who preyed on the weak and the different. He wasn't weak, but he was scrawny and thin, and there were three of them. And he was certainly different. His fiery crimson hair had always attracted negative attention, and that day was no exception.

Soji and Jiro had scared the bullies away with their slingshots. From there on out, they were a team. They went everywhere together, making their own way. They lived together, ate together, stole together, fought together. They found a hideout on the riverfront and made it their own. Eventually, other kids began to frequent the riverside shack – smaller kids, some older ones. All had one thing in common: they were lost, or weak, or in pain. Aito was one of them, and he became the fourth member of the group. Slightly fatter than most of the other children, he had been chased away from the vendors after stealing an abundance of rice cakes.

The trio became four, and they had continued their lives, and another year passed. Then he met Rukia.

Together, they became the unofficial leaders of the small group of misfits. They continued to use the old, dirty building as a place to stay, offering the space for many of the other kids in the district. It was always cramped and sweaty, but it was homey enough. And it was a place to sleep that wasn't a street gutter or a trash heap in a forgotten alleyway.

Life was a struggle, and they fought on without hope of ever escaping. But then he felt the stirring in his bones, the faintest pangs of hunger that had never been there before. Before he had stolen food for the taste, for the joy of it, and for the other kids. And now he found himself starving constantly, stealing to avoid death. He raided the vendors for their goods, ravenous and demanding. Rukia was the same. She stole along with him, and fished with him at dusk, when the twilight had come and the stars were beginning to come out. Together they learned of their power, and at noon some days they would run to the alleys and concentrate hard, until they formed bright balls of spirit energy in their hands. That would always exhaust them, and they slept harder every time.

Then one night, he couldn't sleep.

After tossing and turning for an hour, he broke one of the principal rules of Rukon: you don't go out after dark, unless you have no choice.

But Renji was impatient and headstrong, and he had never cared for the rules in the first place. And he had grown stronger since discovering his latent spirit energy. He could take care of himself.

So he sneaked out the back of the hut, tiptoeing past the sleeping forms of the other children. Rukia was lying just outside the doorway, her soft black hair being blown across her face by a gentle breeze. Her lips were parted slightly, her small chest rising and falling as she breathed.

He hesitated then, but his restlessness won out. He knew he wasn't going to sleep that night; the insomnia came and went with him. And on those nights he had to walk the streets of Rukon, searching for something he didn't even know. Something was calling to him from those dark streets, and he wanted to find it.

He went down the river, its surface smoother than glass in the dark night, and took a winding path through the woods over to the west end of Hanging Dog. The woods were quiet except for the wind brushing the leaves, and the soft chirping of the cicadas in the grass. He padded onward, towards the village, a small wrapped package of rice cakes and a bit of taiyaki nestled in his right hand.

The streets of Hanging Dog were a different story at night. Although empty, you could always see moving shadows at the corner of your eye every time you turned onto a different street. The vendors and merchants had all closed up their booths, hanging awnings over the now empty tables. But the alleyways were alive with vermin, both souls and other creatures of the dark. Your life could go in a flash.

It was that night he heard a loud scream from one of the darkest alleys, in the worst part of town.

He knew right away that it was a girl. The pitch of her voice was high, and even though she only screamed for a split second before someone silenced her, he could hear the desperation in her tone.

He took off down the street, his bare feet pounding against the dirt path. Small stones dug into the soles, but he ignored them, feeling that ever-familiar rage at the injustices of Rukon welling up in his bones. He felt his spirit energy flare, and was immediately hit by a pang of hunger. He shook it off angrily. That could wait. The girl couldn't.

Another panicked cry cut through the air and he increased his pace, bursting into the mouth of a long alleyway. He could see four dark shapes up ahead, barely illuminated by the moonlight. Two of them were grappling while the others looked on.

He knew at once who they were: a trio of lawless bullies who preyed on those weaker than them, taking whatever they could from others. He and many other kids had fallen victim to them before. It wasn't uncommon for some of the youngest kids to come back to the riverside hut sobbing, their faces red and bruised and missing their rock candy or water bottles. Renji always took it upon himself to help the smaller ones. He and Rukia would go searching in Rukon for the thugs, but would rarely find them. They had to steal extra to give back to the kids.

Right now, one of the three older boys had his right hand wrapped around the throat of a writhing, struggling form, which was pressed up against the wall of a nearby building. The girl's legs were kicking frantically and she was gasping hoarsely, trying vainly to choke air into her lungs as the boy held her up against the wall.

"Had enough yet, squirt?" the boy jeered. "Ready to give up your food?"

"Go...to...hell," the girl ground out, both her hands wrapped around the boy's, struggling to loosen the hold.

"Language, you filthy brat," he laughed, before driving his other fist into her stomach. The girl doubled over, coughing; Renji heard a faint splatter as a splotch of blood left her lips and hit the dusty ground. He felt his anger grow fast and hot.

"Look, we already told you, just give us your food and we'll let you go," one of the other boys said mockingly. He was tapping a large, thick stick against one arm as he watched the girl struggle, his silhouette menacing in the dim light. "You're makin' this a lot harder than it's gotta be."

"This is getting on my nerves," the one holding her said, his tone bored. "Mako, just take it already."

The boy with the stick moved forward and reached out towards the girl's chest, where her tunic was bulging slightly at her left breast. Renji realized that she must have stored her package of food inside her shirt, much like Rukia did when she was running from vendors.

"Don't _touch_ me, you bastard!" the girl spat, and she brought her foot upwards in a dizzying kick, hitting the boy directly in the face. He cursed and stumbled back, hands over his face, where a bright trickle of blood was seeping out between his fingers. The girl took advantage of the distraction by whipping her head forward and butting the boy holding her in the nose. He grunted and let go, tripping backwards; the girl dropped to the ground, scrambling to escape past the third boy. However, he grabbed her roughly around the waist and hurled her against the stone wall. The girl let out a pained cry.

"Fucking bitch!" the boy called Mako snarled, moving forward and swinging his stick. "How dare you!"

The blow caught the girl on the right temple, and she flew backwards, head cracking against the wall. The boys closed in on her again as she slid motionless to the ground.

That was it. Renji had had enough.

"Hey!" he shouted.

The boys whirled to face him, eyes registering surprise in the dark night. "Huh?" one of them said. "Who's this kid?"

"Get the fuck away from her, you bastards," Renji snarled, taking a step forward. "Who the hell do you think you are? Picking on a defenseless girl?"

"Shut your mouth," the leader growled back. "No one asked you, firefly."

Renji was incensed. "You think that just because you're older, that gives you the right to hurt others around you? She's just a kid! You have to team up and attack girls to make yourselves feel big?" His heart was pounding acid through his veins as he stalked towards the boys. His hands trembled with rage.

"You're going to pay for that," the leader said flatly. Renji tossed his food package aside and held up his hands. "Bring it on, idiot."

"Get him!" the leader snapped, and the boys surged forward, yelling. Renji grinned savagely and ran forward to meet them.

The first boy who reached him swung his stick wildly, aiming for Renji's face. He ducked to avoid the blow, and the stick whistled over his head. The boy stumbled, off balance. Taking advantage of his loss of footing, Renji took two quick steps forward and punched the boy directly in the stomach. He doubled over, gasping; Renji grabbed the front of his tunic, planted his foot next to the boy's, and used all his strength to toss the boy away, over his shoulder towards the mouth of the alley. He slammed into the dirt with a groan.

"You brat!" the leader howled, taking a wild swing at his face; Renji stepped back to avoid the closed fist. "Get him!" The other boy moved closer, swinging his fists in a blur. Renji smirked as he ducked low to the ground, sweeping his foot out in a wide arc and tripping the boy. He fell flat on his face. Renji then leaped onto his head, slamming the heel of his foot down directly on the boy's crown. He grunted once and lay still.

"I'll kill you!" the lead bully cried, lurching forward with his hands outstretched, as though to strangle him. Renji leaped backwards, pointing one palm towards the boy, the other gripping his wrist. He focused all his anger and rage at the boy into the tips of his fingers, letting his spiritual pressure rise. The boy coughed and staggered. Sharp hunger bit through his stomach, and Renji almost faltered. But then he looked at the girl, lying on her side and propping herself up on her arms, looking towards him with a frightened expression on her face.

He felt new strength flood his limbs and he let out a shout, feeling elated as a bright ball of red flame burst to life above his hand, floating in the dark like a lantern. He grinned and pointed it directly at the boy, who stopped in his tracks.

"I'm warning you," Renji said. "Back off, or I'll blast you in half."

"You wouldn't," the boy sneered, although he looked discomfited. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me," Renji snapped, taking a step closer; the boy took two steps back, tripping in his haste to get away. "I'm not going to say it again. Get lost."

The boy muttered something under his breath. Then, he glared at Renji. "Fine." He moved sullenly away from the girl. "You win this round, firefly."

Renji stepped aside to let the boy pass, but as soon as he walked past, the boy turned and aimed a punch at his head. "Screw you!" he cried. Renji snarled under his breath and aimed at the kid. "Wrong choice, you bastard!"

With a colossal burst of red light, the fireball launched from his fingertips. However, he couldn't control it well enough. The blazing red ball spiralled to the boy's left, exploding against the wall of a building in a shower of sparks and fire.

However, despite his miss, the fireball had the desired effect. The boy let out a high-pitched shriek, running away from Renji as fast as he could. "He's a monster! Run!"

"Izo, wait!" one of the other boys cried, scrambling to his feet. "Wait for us!"

The boys burst out of the alleyway and ran screaming into the night, vanishing around the corner. Slowly, their cries faded away and quiet returned.

Renji turned and walked towards the girl, stopping to pick up his food package on the way. The girl shrank back against the wall as he drew nearer. Her ratty blue dress was torn and patched, with small tears near the hem above her knees.

"Hey, are you all right?" Renji asked, reaching a hand out to her. To his infinite surprise, she knocked his hand away with surprising strength for one so small. She scrambled to her feet, glaring at him with a defiant look in her eyes. "I suppose _you'll_ try to steal it now, too?" she challenged. Her body was hunched and coiled, ready to spring. Renji was completely taken aback. The girl was definitely brave, that much was clear. She reminded him of Rukia.

"No," he said dumbly. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to threaten you."

"I'm not scared of your sorcery," she said harshly. "And I'm not scared of you. Try anything and I'll let you have it."

"Is that how you say thanks to someone who just saved your life?" Renji snapped, angered at the girl's ingratitude.

"Why should I trust you?" the girl bit back. "You could be just as bad as them, or worse."

He lost his patience. "Fine. I don't have time to try to convince you of anything. See you later."

He turned to leave when the girl reached out and wrapped her hand around his wrist. "Wait." her voice was slightly warmer. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude. It's just been a while since I've seen anyone do something nice for no reason."

"That's fine," he replied, crouching down next to her. She watched him closely with wide eyes. "What's your name?"

"Renji Abarai."

"That's a strange name."

"Thanks a lot." He motioned to the mouth of the alley, where a slice of moonlight illuminated the street. "Here, let me get a better look at you. I want to make sure you're not injured."

"I'm fine," the girl said, but she accepted his hand and let him pull her to her feet. Her hand was small and warm in his own. He led her to the lighted area, with an arm around her shoulder to support her as she limped slightly towards the street.

She was beautiful, he realized as she stepped into the light. Her skin was pale and creamy, and looked strangely soft for a Rukon orphan. Her mouth was not particularly large or small, with light pink lips that were presently arranged in a strangely endearing pout. Her jaw was set strongly, much like his own. Her neck was small, and wrapped around it was a soft red cloth like a scarf, knotted once and trailing down to her chest. However, her most striking feature was her hair. Long, dark green locks swirled around her head, barely brushing her collar. The strands looked more perfect than silk, and the moonlight seemed to dance across them. Bright violet eyes that held a misting of pale blue looked into his face.

Renji was suddenly very glad for the darkness that hid the redness in his cheeks.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Renji asked awkwardly, to cover his sudden silence. "Those guys really knocked you around." She had a large reddish bruise at the edge of her right eye, which had inflamed her temple. A thin trickle of dried blood trailed from the corner of her mouth.

"I'm fine," she said quietly, rubbing the blood away with the back of her hand. Then, her eyelashes fluttered and she stumbled sideways, knocking into a darkened empty stall. "Oooh..."

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned. The girl's breathing was low and shallow. "I'm... sorry. I'm just so hungry, I haven't eaten in two days..."

"What about that food those kids were trying to take?" Renji asked. "Why don't you just eat that?"

"It's not mine to take," the girl replied softly. "It's for the young ones. I steal for them because they can't make their way on their own."

"So you've been watching out for them?"

"Yeah. A lot of them are too weak to make it out in Hanging Dog." She gave him a cynical smile. "I'm the oldest. I have to take care of them." She sighed. "It wasn't a problem until about a month ago. Then all of a sudden I started feeling hungry. I've felt the same ever since."

"The hunger, you mean?"

She nodded. "I'm not sure why it's there. It never was before. But it hasn't gone away."

"That's because you have spirit energy," Renji piped up, eager to share his newfound knowledge. "Nobody in Soul Society gets hungry unless they have spiritual powers."

She looked at him searchingly. "What do you mean?"

"Here, watch." He held out his hand and concentrated briefly. After a moment, a small blue ball manifested over his open palm and floated in the air.

The girl's eyes widened. "Wow!"

Renji let the ball fade away as he leaned into the wall, breathing hard. He was exhausted and his stomach was really starting to gnaw away at him. "Yeah," he said tiredly. "That was a manifestation of my spirit powers. You have the same gift. Soon, you'll learn to bring it out yourself. And you'll become stronger."

"Really?" the girl said excitedly, her earlier attitude forgotten. "That's so cool!"

Renji smiled at her enthusiasm. "It's pretty hard at first, but it will become easier over time."

The girl nodded. Then she swayed on her feet again and Renji straightened up to grab her. "You're going to faint at this rate. Here, sit down." He took her over to another stall, where there were several empty wooden barrels stacked next to the awning. He sat the girl down on one, and then dropped down next to her. "I don't have much, but this should return some of your energy." He nudged her fingers with the small package of food he had brought from the river hut. "Take it."

She shook her head, though her eyes were trained directly on the food. "I can't accept that. It belongs to you—"

"You need it more than I do," Renji interrupted, opening her fingers with his own and pressing the food into it. "Just shut up and eat. I don't want to sit here arguing all night."

The girl opened her mouth to retort, but seemed to think better of it. After a long pause, she sighed and took the wrapped package from him. Tearing the paper off, she began ravenously stuffing the rice cakes into her mouth, sighing in relief as she did so. Renji watched her eat, amused.

She consumed the contents of the package in less than a minute. "Thank you," she whispered, touching his hand. He immediately felt his face flame and coughed lightly. "It's no big deal."

The girl stood up, brushing dirt from the hem of her dress. Renji stood up as well, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I need to get this food back to the little ones," the girl replied tiredly. "I can't get away with stealing much during the day so I do it at night." She ran a hand through her dark green hair. "The merchants sometimes forget to lock their cellars."

Watching her, Renji felt a sudden impulse. "Come with me," he urged. "Bring the children you look after. We have a house on the river – it's not very big and it's full of people, but we look out for each other. You'll be safe there, and so will the rest of the kids. We all protect each other."

She smiled sadly at him. "I can't. I can't move all the young ones myself, and even if I could, we're being watched by one of the merchants. He lets us sleep in his hut in exchange for stealing goods for him. He'd hunt us down if we left."

"But this isn't right!" Renji burst out. "I can protect you. Just come with me."

"I don't need you to protect me," the girl said flatly, shaking her head. "Thanks for the offer, but I need to go my own way."

His shoulders dropped. He wasn't sure _why_ he felt such a strong urge to look after this girl, but she was young and pretty and she looked so sad. To leave her would be a terrible thing; he knew it in his bones.

"If you ever change your mind," Renji said, "we'll all be there. Just follow the river and you'll find us."

She nodded once. "I can't. But I appreciate the offer." She stepped closer to him, looking up into his eyes. He felt his face heat up. "W-what are you doing?"

She took hold of his hands in her own and furtively tucked her head up into the crook of his neck, placing a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice soft and breathy in his ear, like falling rose petals. Her hair smelled sweet and elegant. "For saving me."

She turned and vanished into the dark, her soft footsteps fading away into the night. Renji stood there, dumbstruck, his heart thundering in his chest as he slowly reached up and touched the edge of his jaw, where he could still feel the tingling sensation of her small lips. The scent of her hair was still in his nose.

As he touched his face, logic clicked in.

He wouldn't be able to sleep for another reason now.


	2. Entrance Exams

_A whole new world  
A new fantastic point of view  
No one to tell us no  
Or where to go  
Or say we're only dreaming_

--A Whole New World, Disney

--------------------------------

Renji took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders as he stood in the centre of the white cement road, directly before the large circular gates rimming the Seireitei.

The main road leading towards the massive group of buildings and hills from South Rukon was packed with bystanders on both sides, cheering and yelling as large groups of prospective Soul Reapers made their way up the street. Both behind him and before him, young men and women all trekked towards the large city, mostly dressed in identical loose black robes and white sashes tied around their waists. Renji, however, was dressed in his Rukon best: a sleeveless white tunic and a deep blue _hakama _that he had taken from a merchant who overcharged for his merchandise. Rukia was standing on his right side, looking radiant in a simple yet flattering blue dress with small flowers stitched into the fabric. Every here and there amongst the crowd, Renji could identify prospective initiates who were definitely from Rukon. Most of them were dressed much more shabbily than the initiates coming from nobility.

The sun was directly above, beating down on his unprotected neck and head. Rukia's hair was shining in the sunlight, looking sleek and glossy against the gleaming background of the 1st District of South Rukon. Up ahead, a massive wall of Sekkiseki stone cut a circular swath through Rukongai, separating it from the Seireitei. There was a large gap in the wall, where the initiates were streaming through. Next to the opening, a massive hulk of a man hovered over the crowd, his face expressionless as though carved from wood. He was easily ten times taller than any of the souls. Next to him, a Soul Reaper in dark robes was busy shepherding the initiates into the Seireitei. A small group of Hell Butterflies floated above the gate entrance, each broadcasting an identical message.

_Welcome, initiates, to the Seireitei,_ the butterflies relayed. _Please proceed past gatekeeper __Hikonyūtō__ through the Red Hollow Gate and down the road to the seventh building up the street, the Soul Reaper Academy. Please have your entrance badge visible on your arm as you enter. There is no need to rush. Welcome, initiates, to the Seireitei. Please proceed..._

"Can you believe it, Renji?" Rukia breathed next to him, her wide sapphire eyes fixed upon the grandiose city before them. "It's so beautiful! It's so different from the Rukongai. I can hardly wrap my head around it!"

"It is pretty amazing," Renji agreed, craning his neck to take in as much of the Seireitei as he could. Deep in the centre of the city, a large white tower rose upwards in a gleaming ivory spire. Next to it, a large circular hill dominated the horizon. "Oh, man. I can't wait to get in there and explore!" He felt tingling of excitement running across his arms to the tips of his fingers. Turning to Rukia, he grinned widely. "Come on! Let's hurry!" He tugged her toward the gate, sweeping them both into the throng of initiates making their way up the street.

Renji could hardly contain his excitement as they walked through the large open gate, past the hulking gatekeeper and into the streets of the Seireitei. The roads were immaculate and gleaming, composed of white granite. Soul Reapers peered at them from buildings, their heads turning left and right as they surveyed the new students.

The Soul Reaper Academy was immediately visible to Renji as he pulled Rukia through the crowd. It was a massive structure, towering over many of the other buildings, but not so high that it passed over the gate. Its roof was bright orange, and its length spanned almost the entire block. It was lined with windows in every direction. A smaller entrance building was directly in the centre, leading into the Academy. Renji tugged Rukia's hand and headed towards the entrance building, wading through the sea of initiates. Random bursts of conversation fell on his ears as he made his way through the crowd.

"Do you know how many entrance tests there are?"

"Four, I heard..."

"Really? I thought it was five..."

"Man, I'm really not looking forward to kidō..."

"I heard they've got a third seat presiding over the zanjutsu exam."

"Is there a written portion?"

"How much will we have to know about different types of Zanpakutō?"

Renji walked toward the open doorway, Rukia at his side. There was a booth set up next to the entrance, and a female Soul Reaper was seated at the table, looking slightly bored, but very prettily so. Renji swallowed and stepped up to the booth.

The Soul Reaper looked at him. She had long blond hair and bright emerald eyes, and a very piercing stare. However, the crinkles at the corners of her eyes suggested warmth, and she smiled easily at him as he approached. "Name?"

"Renji Abarai," he said quickly, tugging at his tunic's neck. The Soul Reaper looked down at a massive pile of paperwork, turning pages over as she scanned a list of names. Finally, she checked one off. "Yup, here you are. Academy Entrance badge?" Renji help up his right arm, where he had looped the badge around his right bicep. The Soul Reaper nodded at him. "Very good. Just step through the door and into the waiting room. You will be given further instructions." He nodded nervously. "T-thank you."

The Soul Reaper smiled encouragingly. "Don't worry. It was scary for me the first time I applied. But it's okay, it really isn't as hard as everyone makes it out to be."

The nervous constriction in his chest did not ease, but he deeply appreciated the effort. "Thank you."

"Good luck in there!" the Soul Reaper said brightly. "By the way, my name's Hina Akimoto. I look forward to seeing you in the Seireitei!" She turned to Rukia, who had watched the entire exchange with an apprehensive look. "Hi there. Name, please?"

"Rukia—"

Renji stepped inside the door and into the waiting area, looking around in wonder as he did so. The room was gigantic, larger than any room he had ever seen before. It was crowded with initiates, reclining against the walls and sitting in groups on benches that lined the perimeter of the room, waiting eagerly to be called for their entrance exams. There was an air of excited tension throughout the room. Renji could almost feel the nervous energy crackling in the air.

"Wow," someone from next to him whispered, and Renji turned to see Rukia stepping into the room. Her eyes grew bigger and bigger as she looked around. "It's massive, isn't it? We could fit a hundred of the shacks from Hanging Dog in here, easily!"

Renji nodded distractedly as he peered around the room. Who among these initiates were the strongest, the ones most likely to succeed? Those were the ones he wanted to find. His competition.

His hands resolutely curled into fists. _I'm going to prove myself to everybody. This is my only chance to make a life for myself. I'm not going to blow it._

"Let's go find a seat," Rukia suggested, grabbing his hand; Renji followed her across the massive room, trying to look in every direction as he did so.

The room steadily grew more and more packed as they searched vainly for an empty bench. However, most of them were taken and full. Suddenly Rukia pointed to a bench near the back corner of the room. Only one person was sitting on it, a boy in a plain brown tunic and leggings.

"Hello," Rukia said warmly as she walked up to the boy. "Is it okay if we sit here?"

"Hey, help yourself," the boy responded amicably, waving his hand at the bench. "The more the merrier."

"Thank you." Rukia sat down next to him and Renji followed suit. "Where are you guys from?" the boy asked. Renji felt his face grow hot. They'd known the kid for all of ten seconds and he already wanted to know about whether they were from nobility.

"Renji and I are from the 78th District of South Rukon," Rukia replied easily, not sounding embarrassed in the least. "What about you?"

"Oh, you're from the Rukongai too?" the boy said, sounding delighted. "I'm from West Rukon, District 42. I'm really glad to have met you. I was afraid none of the other kids would want to talk to me, since I'm a Rukon grunt and they're from nobility and all."

"Nobility doesn't mean anything," Rukia sniffed. "Plus, we'll show them that we don't have to be from money to become better Soul Reapers than they are!"

"Got that right," the boy said, grinning. He had a youthful smile and bright brown eyes, and a messy halo of dark chocolate coloured hair. He stuck out his hand. "I'm Tatsuyoshi Kita. Pleased to meet you."

Renji watched as Rukia beamed at him and took his hand, telling him her name. _Maybe this kid isn't so bad after all,_ he thought. "I'm Renji Abarai."

"You've got really cool hair," Tatsuyoshi said, looking up at his ponytail. "I wish I had hair like that."

"Really?" Renji said, surprised. Most people hated his hair. It was the main reason he had been picked on so often back in Hanging Dog.

"Yeah," Tatsuyoshi replied, nodding fervently. "At least you look interesting. Me, I look like a bookworm. Nobody's going to take me seriously."

"Guess you'll just have to make 'em respect you," Renji said. Tatsuyoshi smirked. "Yeah, I can't wait for the exams. I know a lot about the Soul Society, so the written part should be a piece of cake."

"Do you know much about the entrance tests?" Renji asked.

"Sure. My brother's a Soul Reaper, he's been in the 13 Court Guard Squads for two years. He says there are four physical aptitude tests you have to take: hakuda, hohō, zanjutsu, and kidō. Then there's a written portion, where you basically have to talk about the history of the Soul Reapers, how to recognize types of Hollows, that kind of jazz. My brother says it's really easy."

_Shit. Kidō? Looks like there's one test I'm definitely going to fail,_ Renji thought miserably.

"How long do we have to wait before we take the tests?" Rukia asked. Tatsuyoshi shrugged. "They've been calling students' names all morning. Guess it's just a matter of time."

They sat there for the better part of an hour, watching the room fill up and empty slowly. Every now and then, a Hell Butterfly would call a name throughout the room, and an initiate would leave the room through a set of doors on the right, into the test chamber. Through it all, Renji sat, tense and nervous. Rukia seemed just as edgy. Tatsuyoshi, however, leaned against the wall with one leg drawn up and his arm draped carelessly over his knee, seemingly completely at ease. Renji's nerves seemed to grow tighter as time floated by. Then:

"Kita, Tatsuyoshi!"

"Guess that's my cue," the brown haired boy said, getting to his feet and cracking his knuckles. "'Bout damn time!"

"Good luck, Tatsuyoshi!" Rukia said encouragingly. Renji echoed her. The other boy laughed and winked. "Hey, no problem." He made his way across the room, vanishing into the doorway.

"Do you think he'll do well?" Rukia asked, watching the door close behind him.

Renji shrugged. "I think so. He seems pretty confident."

About half an hour later, Tatsuyoshi walked back into the room, looking extraordinarily pleased with himself. He spotted them immediately and made his way over, grinning like a loon.

"How did you do?" Rukia asked excitedly. Tatsuyoshi folded his hands behind his head. "Aced it. I'm in. I even got put into the advanced placement class."

"Well done!" Rukia squealed, giving him a hug. Renji was astonished; it was as though she had known him for years. "That's so great!"

"Congratulations," Renji said, grinning. Tatsuyoshi smiled back. "Thanks, Renji."

"What were the tests like?" Rukia peppered him with questions.

"I can't really say much, but they're basically like what I told you. There are three instructors that go over the aptitude tests with you. The written exam happens at the end; apparently we all have to take it together."

About twenty minutes later, Rukia was called. She stood up, looking queasy.

"Relax," Renji said soothingly, squeezing her hand. "You'll do fine."

"Thanks, Renji," she whispered, squeezing back. Then she raised her head resolutely and made her way through the doors and out of sight.

"Do you think she'll do okay?"

"I hope so," Renji murmured, watching the doorway with apprehension. _If she doesn't get in, I'm not even going to take the exams. I don't care. I'm not going without Rukia. She's the only family I've got._

Eventually Rukia re-entered the room, looking very pale. Renji leapt to his feet as she walked across the room towards him.

"How did you do?" he asked frantically. "You got in, right?"

"Yeah," Rukia replied, and Renji felt an enormous wave of relief pass through him. "But I didn't make it into the advanced class."

"Who cares?" Renji laughed, drawing her into a hug and swinging her around. "You made it, Rukia! You're in! I knew you would do it."

"Yeah," she murmured, starting to look a little more cheerful. She smiled at him and buried her face into his chest. "Thanks, Renji."

"Way to go, Rukia," Tatsuyoshi said approvingly. He turned to Renji. "Looks like you're the last one, eh?"

"Looks that way," Renji replied quietly. His palms were starting to sweat and his heart was beating faster and faster with each passing minute. He found his eyes being drawn to the Hell Butterflies in the air every few seconds, tensing each time they called out a name.

New students continued to pour into the room. Most were just blank faces to him, but he did catch a couple that caught his attention.

One was a muscular, tall youth, with dark hazel eyes and spiky black hair with a streak of red in it. He had a large, ropy scar running down the left side of his jaw. He leaned against the wall some distance away, arms crossed over his massive chest, towering over the other students. He had been called earlier, Renji recalled. _I wonder how he did?_

To the left of the muscled giant there was a short, athletic-looking girl dressed in long white robes, rimmed with pale blue at the openings. Her sleeves were wide and hung at her forearms, and her leggings ended just above her knees. Her face was striking, even from his distance; large violet eyes surveyed the crowd with interest, roving over the initiates. Around her neck was a red cloth, and her hair was covered with a long grey scarf, draped over her head like a bandana and wrapped elegantly. It made her look both exotic and dangerous.

_She looks familiar,_ Renji mused. _Have I seen her somewhere before...?_

Before he could give it any more thought, the Hell Butterfly called out: "Abarai, Renji!"

His heart stopped, then started up again, faster than ever.

"Good luck, Renji," Tatsuyoshi said, looking sympathetic. "Don't look so down. You're not heading to your execution, you know."

"You'll do brilliantly, Renji!" Rukia whispered, kissing him on the cheek. "Good luck!"

"Yeah," Renji muttered, his stomach twisting and roiling as though he had eaten five helpings of taiyaki. _Rukia and Tatsuyoshi both got in. Now I just have to make sure I don't screw this up. _Swallowing hard, he stood up and made his way across the room, conscious of all the eyes in the waiting area boring into his back.

The test chamber was a large circular room, mostly empty apart from a desk at the right end. Three Soul Reapers sat at the desk, dressed in identical black robes. One was a purple-haired woman with solemn eyes. The other two were male.

The woman looked up as he entered. "You are Renji Abarai?" He nodded.

"Good. My name is Ayane Nakajima, and these are Takezo Himura and Daichi Anzai. We will be the ones presiding over your entrance exams." Her voice echoed with tiredness, indicating that she had repeated that speech hundreds of times that day.

Renji nodded, ever aware of his pounding heart.

Ayane's dark blue eyes were slightly puffy from exhaustion. "We will start with the hakuda test. Hakuda is hand-to-hand combat, which is a great asset for Soul Reapers, particularly those interested in joining the Stealth Force. If your scores are high enough, we will put in a notification to Captain Soifon, the Commander-in-chief of the Stealth Force and Captain of Squad 2."

Renji struggled to absorb it all. _What the hell's the Stealth Force?_ He had never even heard of it. He immediately felt panic shoot through his veins. _Did they expect us to know about that? What if it's on the written exam? Shit, shit, shit._

"Let us begin," Ayane suggested, standing from her desk and walking around it to face him. "In this test, I will begin to spar with you. You will stay on the defensive at first and attempt to block my strikes. If you can do so, attempt to land hits of your own. You must hit me five times in order to pass. Is that understood?"

Renji nodded, casting away his doubts and settling into a fighting stance. _Just don't think about it. Act. You've had plenty of fights in Hanging Dog, so this should be a piece of cake._

Ayane likewise settled into a fighting stance, her black robes tight across her chest. She looked at him. "Are you ready?"

Renji observed her carefully. Most of her weight was settled into her right leg, which was closest to him. _Depending on how she fights, I'll know how to take her down._ "Ready."

"Then _begin_!"

She propelled herself off the floor and was flying towards him before he could even blink. Her right hand flashed out, aiming a punch directly at his face. He brought his own hand up and knocked her punch away, bringing his left knee upwards. Ayane quickly twisted in midair, using her left hand to launch herself off his knee and somersault upward over his head.

_She's good,_ Renji thought, spinning around to counter another two punches. _She's fast. But so am I!_

Ayane aimed a flurry of punches and kicks towards him, her movements graceful and strong. Renji blocked them all, using a combination of dodging and his own limbs to counter the attacks. Ayane was grinning as she attacked, apparently pleased to have decent competition.

"You've got some skill with hakuda, kid!" she called out, sweeping her left leg out in a dizzying arc, attempting to sweep his feet out from under him.

Renji was caught off guard, but even as he fell, he twisting his body to land on his outstretched palm, immediately propelling himself into a back flip over Ayane. As he was in the air over her, he stretched out his right leg, landing a solid kick on her shoulder.

She grunted softly as his leg made contact, staggering back. _One._ Renji landed, spun around and landed a quick blow on her momentarily unprotected midsection. _That's two._ However, Ayane recovered quickly and increased her speed, knocking away his hits and kicking him squarely in the chest, sending him flying.

"Come on," she yelled, grinning brightly. "You can do better!"

Renji grinned back at her. "If you insist!" He increased the speed of his movements, aiming blow after blow, kick after kick. They crashed and collided together in rapid movements, each trying to ward off the other's attacks. After five minutes, Renji managed to hit Ayane three more times, twice on her left side and once on her back. At last, she called a halt.

"Well done," she said, sounding pleased; sweat had formed at her forehead and her purple hair was slick around her cheeks. "That was a very good performance." She nodded at the other two Soul Reapers, who had been observing the fight, jotting notes down into a sheaf of papers. At this, one of the men stood up.

"I'm Daichi," he said. He was lithe and thin in his Soul Reaper robes, with a dark green headband tied around his forehead, looping under his spiky black hair. His eyes were a friendly shade of brown and he had an easygoing smile. "I'm going to test you now in kidō."

_Shit,_ Renji grumbled internally. _I hate kidō._

"This part of the exam is relatively simple," Daichi said. "As you know, kidō is the technique of focusing your spiritual energy into magical abilities, such as combat spells, including attack and defense, or healing spells. Kidō is separated into two divisions, and each spell is graded on a scale from 1 to 99, the latter being the most powerful and dangerous. They're also the most difficult to execute. Here, you will demonstrate the first spells for both Bakudō, the way of binding, and Hadō, the way of destruction."

Renji nodded glumly. "Okay."

Daichi laughed. "Don't look so down. If your scores are high, you'll receive special credit and we'll put in a notification to the Kidō Corps branch of the military." Daichi walked around to face Renji as Ayane returned to the desk. "If you're ready, please demonstrate Bakudō No. 1: Sai."

Renji sighed. _Guess there's nothing else for it._

Pointing his right hand at Daichi with his index and middle finger extended upward, Renji took a deep breath. "Bakudō No. 1: _Sai!_" As he spoke he whipped his hand to the side. To his immense surprise, Daichi's hands were immediately locked behind his back. However, in less than two seconds, he had shattered Renji's feeble spell and was flexing his wrists. "Not bad," he said. "Hadō now."

Renji inclined his head. Then he pointed his right hand again, this time focusing his energy to his index finger. "Hadō No. 1: _Shō!_"

Instead of causing a bright circle of blue light to knock Daichi away, the spell backfired with a loud _boom_ that sent a blue shockwave throughout the room. Both Renji and Daichi were blasted backwards, the former slamming into the doorway and the latter into the marking desk. Renji felt embarrassment well up in his chest as Ayane and the other Soul Reaper stared dubiously at him.

"Interesting," Daichi panted, getting to his feet once more, looking very windswept. "Too much power and backlash, though. Not the best. You're going to need to learn how to control that."

Renji's face flamed. "Y-yes, sir! I'm sorry, sir!"

Daichi waved his hand in an airy manner. "Forget the formalities. Just call me Daichi."

"Yes, sir!"

Daichi rolled his eyes and chuckled. "All right. I guess we move on to hohō now. Ayane?"

Renji picked himself off the floor as the purple-haired girl stepped into the centre of the room, smiling at him. "Ready for round two?" Her eyes were bright with challenge.

Renji grinned back at her. "You bet I am!"

She laughed. "Good. This test, Renji, is focused on speed. All you need to do is try to keep up with me. Hohō is central to any Soul Reaper's repertoire, and it's a must if you're applying for the Stealth Force, or for a seated position. For the first part, I'm going to use Shunpo, otherwise known as _flash step_, to attack you. Try to dodge my blows... if you can."

Renji settled back into a fighting stance, his body hot with exertion and his limbs eager for more. "Sounds like a challenge. Let's do it!"

Ayane smirked. "For the second part, I'm going to try to avoid you. You have to chase me and tag me five times. Got it?"

Renji nodded.

"Then _go!_"

She suddenly vanished.

Renji's eyes widened. _What the...?_

A flicker of movement at the corner of his eye shouted out a warning, and he barely managed to turn in time to dodge a punch aimed at the left side of his face as Ayane materialized into view once more.

Her pink lips turned up playfully. "Little too fast for you?"

Renji gave a short laugh. "You wish!"

He whirled and struck out with his foot in a roundhouse kick. Ayane vanished once again, and this time he could just barely make out dark flickers of movement as she ran around the room.

_I can see her, but only just. I need to track her movements more. Maybe she has a routine...?_

She burst towards him once more. Renji almost fell backwards as one of the dark lines shooting around the room suddenly became Ayane. He spun around and managed to leap aside from her kick, and the next two in quick succession. Sweat formed on his brow and rolled down his temple.

_Shit. I've got to take her down fast, or she's going to hit me eventually._

They engaged in a furious dance, Renji dodging and rolling as Ayane swirled around him, raining blow after blow upon him. After about five minutes, Renji's limbs were watery and sore. And he still hadn't managed to find any opening with which to attack Ayane.

_Damn it!_ He raged inside his head, somersaulting backwards as Ayane tried to deliver a bicycle kick to him. _There must be some way to get past her defenses!_

_Wait..._

He stopped moving and stood stock still, breathing hard. He could still hear the soft rushes of wind behind him as Ayane circled the room. He closed his eyes, concentrating.

The wind shifted.

_Gotcha._

He turned and caught Ayane's foot in the middle of her kick. Her eyes widened in surprise just before Renji gave a shout and spun around, throwing her hard into the air. She flew towards the wall, but managed to turn the momentum of the toss into a back flip and land safely.

The two stared at each other for a moment, both breathing hard and drenched in sweat. Then Ayane beamed at him and clapped her hands. "Excellent! That was one of the best displays we've seen so far. How did you know where I was going to strike?"

"You always tried to confuse me with your movements, then come at me from behind," Renji explained, wiping his forehead on his sleeve. "Eventually I realized your pattern and anticipated your next attack. You would go for my upper body from behind. So I just waited and caught the next attack."

She looked very pleased. "Well done." She arched her back. "But we're not done yet!"

She vanished again. Renji gritted his teeth and began pumping his feet, running after her.

Trying to catch Ayane was like trying to catch smoke. He could barely make out glimpses of her light purple hair as she leaped lightly around the room, and every time he reached out for her all he felt was the soft whisper of the hem of her robes. After two minutes of unsuccessful grabbing, Renji decided to change tactics.

Instead of running after her, Renji turned around midstride and ran in the opposite direction. Sure enough, as Ayane circled, he managed to slip past her right side, tapping her twice in quick succession. He saw her mouth twitch as she danced away, moving ever faster.

Renji took off again, focusing his reiatsu in a warming glow across his legs and into the balls of his feet. Suddenly, it seemed as though he were floating, as though each step he took carried him more than three times its original distance. Whooping wildly, he easily leaped into Ayane's range and tagged her again. A minute later it was over.

"Excellent," Ayane said, smiling at him as she came to a stop. "You're a natural."

She went back to sit at the desk, tugging the v-neck of her robes down slightly and fanning herself. Renji was grateful for his already flushed cheeks as he looked determinedly at the ceiling.

"Guess we've only got one more to go," the last Soul Reaper said. "I'm Takezo. You and I are going to be sparring in zanjutsu."

Renji grinned widely. _This_ was what he had been waiting for.

"Please select a wooden sword from the rack against the wall," Takezo said, motioning to a wide display rack on the right side of the room, lined from floor to ceiling with identical wooden swords. Renji walked over and selected one before turning to Takezo.

The Soul Reaper pulled out a wood sword of his own. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black, and his body well muscled and strong. Renji could tell right away that he was accustomed to swordplay.

"This is probably the most straightforward test," Takezo said, hefting the sword and resting it against his shoulder. "Zanjutsu is sword combat. If you want to be a Soul Reaper, you need to be able to use a Zanpakutō effectively. This is the most fundamental aspect of being a Soul Reaper. Are you ready?"

Renji nodded, raising the sword.

"Then come at me, and show no mercy."

Renji leaped forward and swung the sword downward in an overhead blow. Takezo blocked it and responded with a sideways swipe, aiming at Renji's ribs. He knocked the sword away and swung again, stabbing at Takezo's ribs. The Soul Reaper danced away and flourished his sword, and Renji took off after him.

Ten minutes passed in a furious struggle. Renji leaped and twisted, dueling with the Soul Reaper instructor, clashing swords again and again. Sweat formed on his face and rolled down his neck, but he didn't stop. He had been knocking sticks around for as long as he could remember. He wasn't going to lose this one.

Takezo came at him again, teeth gritted as he swung at Renji's face. With a hoarse grunt, Renji knocked the sword away, then barrelled towards Takezo with a raging flurry of blows, using every ounce of his strength to batter the Soul Reaper's defences. The instructor tried to parry, but Renji's assault had caught him off guard. Yelling, he slammed the sword down with such force that it shattered Takezo's sword in half, sending wood splinters spinning off into the air.

Takezo froze, standing stock still and staring at Renji, holding the broken pieces of his sword in his hand. Renji took deep, gulping breaths, his sword still raised and ready. Behind Takezo, Ayane and Daichi were gaping at him with astonishment.

"Excellent!" Takezo suddenly roared, tossing his sword pieces away and beaming widely. Renji blinked in surprise, not expecting the outburst from such a reserved looking man. "Friggin' amazing! Where'd you learn that kind of swordsmanship?"

Renji lowered his sword, still breathing heavily. "I grew up in Hanging Dog, South Rukon. We had to fight to survive back there. It was grow stronger, or die."

Takezo nodded, looking satisfied. "It paid off." He headed back to the desk. Daichi tossed him a towel and he wrapped it around his neck, wiping his face. "Well done, Renji."

He stood nervously before the judges, twisting his hands. "So..."

Ayane smiled benignly at him. "In order to be admitted to the Soul Reaper Academy, one must pass two out of these four tests. If you pass three or all of them, you are admitted to the advanced placement class."

Daichi nodded. "Each test is scored out of ten. Your grades will give us an indicator as to what you need to improve on."

"However," Takezo said, "these grades remain confidential for now. Suffice it to say, you've passed. You're in, Renji."

He felt his breath hitch in his throat. "I'm...?"

Ayane winked at him. "Not only that, but you've shown incredible skill. We have a place for you in the advanced class, if you'd like."

A powerful tide of joy welled up inside his stomach, overwhelming in its intensity. He couldn't stop a wide grin from breaking out across his face. "Y-yes, ma'am! Thank you very much, ma'am!"

Ayane giggled. "It's Ayane, Renji. Please go back to the waiting room. Soon, the aptitude tests will be over and you will be called to write your written entrance exam."

He nodded, still beaming like an idiot. "Thank you very much, Ayane, Takezo, Daichi."

Daichi waved his hand again. "Go on, kid."

Renji stepped back into the waiting room, scanning it for Rukia and Tatsuyoshi. He spotted them over at the corner of the room, each watching him apprehensively. He made his way over, unable to stop himself from breaking out into another grin.

"You got in!" Rukia nearly shrieked when he drew closer.

"Yeah," Renji said happily. "And I got into the advanced class, too!"

"Hey, way to go!" Tatsuyoshi clapped him on the shoulder. "Guess I'm going to have some competition, aren't I?"

"So it would seem," Renji said, grinning. Everything seemed so much brighter now.

"You big jerk!" Rukia exclaimed angrily. Now that she was sure Renji had been accepted, she seemed to have reverted to her old argumentative self. "How did you get into the advanced class instead of me?!"

"Guess they just recognize talent when they see it," Renji said smugly. A vein throbbed on her forehead. "You're such a—"

"I wonder if we'll get any classes together," Tatsuyoshi said loudly, cutting off their argument. "I hear that they've got a student teaching zanjutsu who's already taking orders from the 13 Court Guard Squads. Can you believe it? Not even graduated and already doing missions!" Tatsuyoshi grinned in reverence. "I can't wait to meet him."

Renji sat back against the bench, looking out across the room. "I hope he's good. It'll be fun to learn some new moves."

The examinations continued over the next two hours. Throughout it all, he talked excitedly with Rukia and Tatsuyoshi about what the Academy would be like, what classes they would take, and so on. He felt eagerness flood throughout his system and he fidgeted constantly, hardly able to wait to get going. He also looked around the room, wanting to catch another glimpse of that pale, beautiful girl in the grey scarf. But she seemed to have vanished.

At long last, the Hell Butterfly called out: "Attention, students! Please proceed through the door on the far left to the examination hall. Select a desk and prepare to write your written test!"

Renji got to his feet with the others, cracking his neck. "Finally."

"This should be fun," Tatsuyoshi said. "Let's go knock 'em dead."

They trekked together along with the chattering crowd into the large examination room, which was a wide, spacious hall filled with rows and rows of desks. Several Soul Reapers were walking around through the spaces between the desks, distributing papers. "Everyone grab a seat!" one of them called.

Renji quickly chose a desk next to Rukia, and Tatsuyoshi sat in front of him. He craned his neck, looking around the room as the students began sitting at desks, looking for anyone of interest. He spotted the strong-looking youth with the scar on his face about seven rows in front of him. And there, to his left, about three rows up, was the girl with the scarf, sitting with her chin in her hand and watching the other students with that same interest.

"All right, everyone settle down," one of the Soul Reapers called. Slowly, the chatter died out and the room became silent.

"You have an hour to write this exam," the Soul Reaper continued. "We will give you further instructions when you finish. If you finish early, please wait the remainder of the hour for the others to finish." He looked out across the rows of desks. "You may begin."

There was a rustle of papers across the room as everyone turned over their papers. On his right, Rukia was already scribbling away.

Renji looked at the page, and the first question met his eyes. _Describe the characteristics of a Zanpakutō, and discuss its role in a soul burial._

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. With a slight smile on his face, Renji leaned over and began to write.


	3. Sora

_Someone told me long ago  
There's a calm before the storm  
I know; its been comin' for some time  
When its over, so they say  
It'll rain a sunny day  
I know; shinin' down like water_

--Have You Ever Seen The Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival

-----------------------------------------

"Time's up," one of the Soul Reapers called out, and there was an immediate outbreak of noise as students dropped their calligraphy brushes and flipped their papers over. Sora yawned, extending her arms out behind her head and arching her back as she stretched. _That_ had taken long enough. The written exam had been laughable, and that was putting it lightly. She had finished it in slightly more than twenty minutes, double checked it in five, and spent the remaining time staring off into space, watching the dark shapes of the Hell Butterflies as they wandered over the rows of desks and examining the numerous students, trying to determine who looked to have the most promise.

She knew she was being judgmental. She also knew she shouldn't critique based on first impressions, but there wasn't much else to do for a whole half-hour, unless she planned on picking her fingernails.

She waited as the Soul Reapers walked up and down the rows, collecting the exam papers. When hers was taken, she looked up expectantly.

"Thank you all for your participation," a Soul Reaper called out. "Your exam grades will be distributed at a later date. As of this moment, you are all students of the Soul Reaper Academy." He paused momentarily, the corner of his mouth lifting as the group of students erupted into cheers. Sora allowed herself a small smile, letting it creep over her face. It felt so alien after years of desperation and struggle that her cheeks immediately began hurting. She had made it. Finally.

"You may exit the examination hall via the back door, just over there. Tomorrow, you will report to Lecture Hall Room 12 to register for your electives. For the moment, please stay seated as we hand out your dormitory information. Your uniforms have been placed in your dorm rooms for when you arrive. Classes will start the day after tomorrow.

"In the meantime, you are welcome to explore the Seireitei. Please take note that the entrance gates close at 10:00 p.m. sharp."

The Soul Reapers began to move about the aisles again, handing out small scrolls of paper tied with red ribbons. Sora drummed her fingers on her desk as she waited, conscious of the ever-present buzz of excited, hushed voices pressing against her on every side. She felt her heart beating nervously and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She touched her neck cloth, willing calmness back into her veins, and like always, she began to feel a little better.

"Here you are," a young woman said, handing her a scroll. Sora opened it and scanned it quickly.

_Student: Sora Hitorishi_

_Residence Hall, Dormitory One _

_Unit B – Room 343_

Sora folded the page neatly and tucked it into a front pocket of her robe. Then she stood along with the rest of the students and made her way out the back door and into a large, bright courtyard.

The sun was high overhead in the pale blue sky, bathing the courtyard in a warm, welcoming glow. It was covered with deep green grass, and long cobblestone pathways snaked here and there throughout the yard, creating walkways and connecting the entrance hall to a large group of buildings ahead, off to the right side of the enclosure. Sora could see two other impressive buildings far off in the distance, and surmised that they must be the other facilities of the Academy.

She walked past a wide fountain in the centre of the courtyard, surrounded by a pool brimming with sparkling blue water. A pair of raised basins overflowed into one another in the centre of the fountain, topped by a statuette of a foursome of seahorses, all spewing water from their mouths into the stone basins.

Sora felt herself relax as she moved across the courtyard towards the building. The grounds were certainly pretty enough so far. She hoped that everything else about the Academy proved just as pleasant.

"How do you think you did?"

"I wasn't sure about the konsō question..."

"Do you think they'll dock marks for not remembering the Hadō incantation?"

Conversation bubbled all around her as she stepped up to the main gates of the first building. A large wooden sign stood outside the lawn, proclaiming:

_Residence Hall, Dormitory One_

A large group of students had already assembled at the entrance and were beginning to pour inside. Sora joined the throng and entered through the front gates, bodies pressing against her on either side. Inside the building foyer, there was a large welcome desk. A group of Soul Reapers sat behind it, quickly scanning lists of students and checking off names. Sora waited quietly in line, her mind whirling.

_I wonder how far the training grounds are from here? I know I could have done better on the zanjutsu test. I'm definitely going to need to step up my act if I want to stay in the advanced class. And I thought I saw a forest somewhere in the distance... maybe if I go in deep enough, I can practice my kid__ō without alerting anyone._

"Next!" one of the Soul Reapers nodded at Sora. "Name, please?"

"Sora Hitorishi."

The Soul Reaper looked down and flipped through a notebook. "Hitorishi... got it." He checked off the name. "Unit B. You're on the left side of the building. Unit A is the boys' dorms, on the right. You'll be on the third floor."

Sora nodded and bowed. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't mention it. Next!"

She turned and ventured down the long hallway, feeling distinctly nervous. If only she had someone else to consult, someone to talk to...

But that was just a pointless fantasy. She had always been alone, thrust into a life she didn't ask for and didn't want. She and the other children had not had the chance to be friends; they had been too young and scared to protect her or care for her, and the ones that she developed closer bonds with were always sold away to other districts as slaves or labourers. She became a desperate wretch, raised in the cruel darkness of the night, isolated like a forbidden secret from the rest of the Soul Society.

_Stop,_ she chided herself angrily. _What's the use of dwelling on the past? Remembering them will only make you sadder, and to show sadness is to show weakness. Control yourself. You may be out of the Rukongai, but you're by no means safe._

Lost in her thoughts, Sora didn't even realize she had reached her floor until the noise alerted her. She glanced down the hallway. Several girls were flitting in and out of rooms, carrying bunches of clothes and bed wear. None of them had noticed her, which was fine with her.

She found a door with the number 343 on it four doors down the hall, on the right hand side. She raised her hand and knocked. No answer. Cautiously opening the door, Sora poked her head inside.

The room was empty, so whoever her roommate was must not have arrived yet. The room was traditional and unassuming: two single beds on opposite sides of the room, two desks, two closets, two dressers...

On the foot of the left bed were a pile of folded uniforms. They consisted of a red _hakama_ and a set of white robes, with red stripes rimming the chest openings and running down each sleeve. Two small circular insignias that looked like four-pointed stars were adorned in blue on either side of the chest.

Sora closed the door, shutting off the idle chatter of the hallway. She quickly stripped out of her robes, hanging them over the back of her desk chair. Her bra was considerably tight across her chest, and the straps were frayed and shabby. Definitely too small. Making a mental note to find a way to get new ones, she slipped into her new uniform and tied the _hakama_ around her waist. The fabric felt cool and soft against her skin. She rolled her shoulders, pleased.

_I did it, Sensei. I made it here as you requested. And I promise, I won't let you down._

"Hello?"

A soft voice breached Sora's thoughts and she turned around, surprised. A youthful looking girl in a long white sundress was peering at her from the open doorway, one hand resting on the jamb. The dress was silken and highlighted her figure in a delicate manner, ending just above her knees. The dress was open at the top, exposing the girl's shoulders. It looked more expensive than anything Sora had ever seen before, and she knew instantly that the girl was from nobility. Her face was striking, with her dark auburn hair drawn up into a bun, the stray strands gracefully framing her face. Large maroon eyes peered into Sora's green ones.

"My name's Hazuki Shimizu," the girl said, stepping forward and holding out her hand. "This is Room 343, right?"

"Oh! Yeah," Sora started, taking the girl's hand and shaking it. "You must be my roommate. It's nice to meet you."

"You too," the girl smiled. She tossed a scroll identical to the one Sora was given onto the bed and sat down next to it. "This all feels so surreal, you know? I mean, just a couple years ago I didn't even know I _had_ spirit energy. And now I'm at the Soul Reaper Academy!" She beamed brightly. "It's amazing, isn't it?"

Sora watched her, bemused. The girl was fluttery and excitable, but in an endearing manner. _She might just be the first noble I've met who isn't a pretentious jerk._ "It is pretty strange," she agreed, moving to sit down on her own bed. "I first found out I had spirit energy about eight years ago."

"That's a long time," Hazuki commented. "How did you find out?"

Sora smiled slightly. _How indeed?_ The memory was one of the freshest in her mind, having set the past seven years of her life in motion. Indeed, if she hadn't encountered that young, redheaded boy with determined eyes and a colourful vocabulary, she would never have discovered what her hunger meant. She would have never been taught how to control her spiritual power, never have been exiled from Hanging Dog, never have encountered her Sensei. _That boy saved my life. I wonder where I'd be now if it weren't for him?_

"Hey, you still in there?" Hazuki asked, nudging Sora's foot with her own from across the bed. She grinned. "You've been staring off into space for a while."

"Oh, sorry," Sora replied, shaking her head slightly to clear it. "I met a boy back in the Rukongai when I was a little girl. He told me what spirit energy was, and how to control it. He even taught me how to use it for offense, just like he did when he..." she trailed off.

_It's been so long since that night, but I still remember it so clearly. That was the first time I had ever seen something so strange and dangerous, yet also so beautiful__. Before that night I was just another piece of Rukon trash, floating through life on a quiet breeze. And then he changed me... I became something else, something new entirely._

"When he...?" Hazuki prompted, looking intrigued. Sora blushed lightly. "It's nothing. But I learned from then on how to control my reiatsu. It was kind of hard, but it slowly became easier over time."

"I know what you mean," Hazuki said, nodding. "It was like that for me too at first."

"You're from nobility, right?" Sora kept her voice level and polite, even though she felt a sliver of derision run through her at the words. Hazuki grimaced. "Don't give me such a freeze," she said lightly, kicking Sora's leg. "Yeah, I'm from the Shimizu Family. It's one of the lesser noble families, but we're still well known. Despite what others may think, we're not so bad. I know nobles don't exactly give off the most generous image, especially to those from the Rukongai—" Sora nodded, _that_ was putting it lightly— "but we're not pretentious like the Ōmaeda Family, or the Kasumiōji Family. Plus, what do most nobles know about the Soul Reapers? Not a damn thing."

Sora blinked, taken aback by the girl's statement. "Really? I thought lots of nobles were Soul Reapers."

Hazuki shook her head. "Barely any, actually. A few of the captains are, and a couple of the lieutenants, but that's basically it. 'Course, some regular squad members are from nobility too, but the Soul Reapers that used to be from Rukon outnumber them greatly."

"Wow," Sora said, intrigued. "I had no idea there were so many of us."

"What do you mean, _us?_" Hazuki said indignantly. "There's only one _us_ now, roomie, and that's every Soul Reaper in the Seireitei!" She smiled widely and sprung up from her bed. "Come on, show some love!"

Sora was completely taken aback by the girl's attitude, but couldn't help but smile at her antics. Her sensei had always told her that she had been too serious, too quick to judge others. _Maybe I should try opening up a little. Besides, she seems pretty nice._

"Alright," Sora laughed, getting to her feet. "I'm sorry." She help out her hand and smiled hesitatingly at the girl. "I never really introduced myself. I'm Sora Hitorishi."

"I'm deeply honoured to make your acquaintance," Hazuki said, with such stiff formality and a straight face that Sora burst out into laughter. Hazuki soon joined in and Sora's heart felt lighter than it had in years. _Maybe this won't be so bad after all._

"Hey," Hazuki said suddenly, catching her arm. "There's a really cool tea house close by, in the residential area just outside the Squad 11 gardens. Wanna come with?"

She didn't even wait for an answer; before Sora could open her mouth, Hazuki had danced out the door, still tugging on her arm. "Let's go!"

With a growing smile stealing across her face, Sora followed her.

----------------------------------

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think!


	4. Dawn of the First Day

_A/N: Thanks very much to those who have reviewed so far. I know this may seem like a slow start, but I haven't seen many fanfics that go into much depth about the Shinigami Academy, which has always fascinated me as hardly anything is known about it. So, I thought I'd try my hand at describing it, and shall continue to (attempt to) do so as the story progresses. And don't worry, Renji will meet up with his old flame very soon._

_Please continue to review! Any feedback or criticism is welcome._

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_Slowly out of line  
And drifting closer in your sights  
So play it out, I'm wide awake  
It's a scene about me  
There's something in your way  
And now someone is gonna pay_

_And now you'll lead the way  
Show the light of day  
Nice work you did  
You're gonna go far, kid_

--You're Gonna Go Far, Kid, The Offspring

----------------------------------------------------------------

Renji rolled over for what seemed like the millionth time that night, his hands clutching fistfuls of the bed sheets and crumpling them together. His body was wound so tightly it felt like he was made of wire. _Calm down,_ he thought, but that repetitive mantra had long since lost its meaning. The dormitories of the Soul Reaper Academy just so much _quieter_ than it had been back in the shacks in Hanging Dog. As he lay on his back in the darkness, staring at the ceiling, the only sound he could hear were the soft chirps of the crickets in the grass. There were no distant shouts, or clanking noises of merchant carts in the distance. Even in the middle of the night, Hanging Dog was never silent for long.

Yes, the Seireitei was definitely going to take some getting used to.

_You'll need all the sleep you can get, genius. First classes are tomorrow, and you won't be able to keep up if you pass out halfway through the day._

He knew his insomnia was going to come back and bite him in the ass later, but it still didn't make it any easier to fall asleep. Wistfully, he wondered if Rukia and Tatsuyoshi were having the same problems falling asleep. _Rukia probably is,_ he conceded, remembering how they used to snuggle together in the dark shack, his arms around her and her hair tickling his nose. Ever since they had first met, they had slept together. She was probably just as wide-eyed and awake as he was, unfamiliar with the lack of strange noises and the warmth of another body to ward away the outdoor chill. _Tatsuyoshi, on the other hand..._

Renji smirked slightly to himself in the dark. Despite having known the boy for only two days, he already felt quite familiar with him, and definitely had his personality down to pat. The kid was lazier than anyone he had ever seen, preferring to yawn and grin his way through life rather than put in effort. Frankly, Renji was somewhat surprised he had made it into the advanced class with such a laid-back attitude. Just earlier that day (_well,_ _it's past midnight now anyway, so it would be yesterday,_ Renji thought), he and Rukia practically had to drag Tatsuyoshi over to the Lecture Hall to register for their electives. Not only did Tatsuyoshi sleep in and miss breakfast, but right after eating he wanted to go and take another nap. Rukia had resorted to cajoling him to the building with the prospect of seeing if there were any extra zanjutsu classes. If there was one thing Tatsuyoshi seemed to enjoy – besides food and sleeping – it was swordplay.

The Lecture Hall was the largest building on campus, spanning an area so large Renji had almost been certain that the entire market district of Hanging Dog would have been around the same size in comparison. In any case, the massive building stretched more than a city block, surrounded by courtyards and flower gardens and even a hedge maze. The size and diversity of the Academy grounds never ceased to amaze him.

Outside the main doors, a group of Hell Butterflies were relaying a message across campus. _"__Welcome, new students, to the Soul Reaper Academy! You are now part of a proud tradition: a unique school dedicated to building the stealth forces and the 13 Court Guard Squads of the future. Apply yourselves diligently to your studies, and uphold the honour of our school!"_

On the first floor of the Lecture Hall, Renji and Rukia had almost gotten lost in the many halls, wandering past classrooms and examination rooms, together with a vast crowd of other students, who had chosen that time of day to register for extra courses. Although the registrations took place throughout the entire day, Renji had decided to go early to beat the crowds, and Rukia had agreed with him. However, it seemed as though half the Academy first years had been of the same mindset. The hallways were immediately packed with students wandering in a panic until Tatsuyoshi, who knew the layout thanks to his brother, finally took pity on them and led the congregation to the Registration Room.

There had been a plethora of electives to choose from, and Renji was quickly overwhelmed with the sheer variety of the courses. While some were generic, such as advanced kidō and hakuda, some were incredibly obscure, such as calligraphy. And the list went on: Politics and Government, Research and Scientific Development, Healing... half of them looked boring as sin, but the other half interested Renji greatly. Unfortunately for him, first years had to take one mandatory elective, while only a second could be selected optionally. In the end, after poring over the vast course list, he chose Reiatsu Control and Meditation, a group course dedicated to teaching Soul Reapers how to draw upon, balance, and control their spiritual pressure, and Zanpakutō Theory, which taught Soul Reapers the inner properties of their Zanpakutō, as well as how to communicate with their spirits. Tatsuyoshi chose the same electives, while Rukia opted for advanced kidō in place of Reiatsu Control and Meditation.

After their courses were chosen, the threesome had headed back to the Residence Hall, which was a collection of dormitory buildings grouped together on the southern side of campus. While both Renji and Tatsuyoshi had been assigned to Unit A, the boys' side of the first year residence building, Rukia had been placed in Unit B, somewhere on the fifth floor. Renji was on the second, while Tatsuyoshi was on the fourth floor somewhere, most likely annoying his roommate to tears with his snoring.

Renji had been one of the lucky few assigned to a single room. There were only a few on each floor, and they were given randomly to new students. Renji was very pleased to hear it, since it meant he wouldn't have to worry about cleaning up after himself all the time or annoying anybody else. And after hearing Tatsuyoshi snore after falling asleep at the courtyard fountain that night after dinner, Renji was even happier about being placed solo.

His schedule had arrived later that evening, sent to his room by a mail order from the Lecture Hall. It was simple and to the point.

_Student: Renji Abarai__  
Dormitory: Residence Hall, Building One – Unit A, Room 267  
Class Schedule (Advanced Placement)_

_Monday/Wednesday:_

_Hoh__ō – Theory (8:30-9:30 a.m.), Lecture Hall, Room 165  
Hoh__ō – Practical (9:40 – 11:00 a.m.), Training Hall, Room 19  
Soul Society History (11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.), Lecture Hall, Room 317 _

_Lunch (12:00 – 1:00 p.m.)_

_Zanjutsu – Practical (1:10 – 3:00 p.m.), Training Hall, Room 11  
Rieatsu Control and Meditation (3:10 – 4:40 p.m.), Training Hall, Room 25_

_Tuesday/Thursday:_

_Kid__ō – Theory (8:30 – 9:30 a.m.), Lecture Hall, Room 212  
Kid__ō – Practical (9:40 – 11:00 a.m.), Training Hall, Room 3  
Hollow Theory and Training (11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.), Lecture Hall, Room 370_

_Lunch (12:00 – 1:00 p.m.)_

_Hakuda – Practical (1:10 – 3:00 p.m.), Training Hall, Room 9  
Zanpakutō – Theory (7:30 – 9:00 p.m.), Training Hall, Room 13_

_Friday:_

_Hollow Theory and Training (9:30 – 11:00 a.m.), Lecture Hall, Room 370_

_Lunch (12:00 – 1:00 p.m.)_

_Zanjutsu – Practical (1:30 – 3:00 p.m.), Training Hall, Room 11_

After taking one look at his schedule, Renji knew that Tuesdays and Thursdays were going to be the bane of his existence. _Goddamn Kidō._

He tossed once more in bed, heaving a great sigh. It was dark outside, but getting slightly lighter. He could see the barest hint of purple in the otherwise black sky. Renji groaned to himself. _That's it, I'm screwed for tomorrow. No way am I going to function well on zero hours of sleep._

Stretching his legs out beneath the soft quilt, Renji began counting backwards from one hundred, hoping he would be asleep by the time he hit fifty. _One hundred... ninety nine... ninety eight..._

x x x x

"You look like shit," Tatsuyoshi said promptly, as soon as Renji sat down at their usual table in the mess hall. Renji gave an incoherent grunt and reached out for a bowl of rice porridge, spooning it into his own bowl. Tatsuyoshi's plate was already loaded with everything in the immediate proximity; Rukia was sipping green tea and daintily eating a piece of grilled fish.

"How come you look so tired, Renji?" Rukia asked, spearing a piece of fish with her fork and popping it into her mouth. She looked completely fine. Renji rubbed his eyes tiredly. He didn't entirely want to tell her that he couldn't sleep because he missed the feel of her next to him – not in front of Tatsuyoshi, anyways. His cheeks reddened and he shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. I was up all night, just thinking about stuff. You know, courses and all."

"Why the hell would you want to think about courses outside of courses?" Tatsuyoshi looked positively alarmed. "They have classrooms for a reason."

"You're going to have homework, you know," Rukia said pointedly. Tatsuyoshi gave an exaggerated shudder and stuffed a mouthful of _natt__ō_ into his mouth. "Dnnt sy sch trrbl thngs," he said, cheeks bulging.

"Gross," Renji said offhandedly. With what looked like great effort, Tatsuyoshi swallowed. "Don't say such terrible things."

The room was full of excited activity as students bustled in and out of the main doors, heading towards the cafeteria. Renji had finally given sleep up as a bad job when dawn breached the sky, and after getting changed into his uniform had spent the entire morning watching the lightening sky. At seven thirty he finally went down to breakfast, unable to stand the nervousness any longer.

Rukia finished with her fish and blotted her mouth carefully with her napkin. She looked petit and gentle in her white uniform, with her red hakama. Renji and Tatsuyoshi were dressed in identical clothing, except that their hakamas were blue.

Within minutes Tatsuyoshi had cleared his plate and gone for seconds. Renji was having enough trouble choking down one bowl of rice porridge. "How does he do it?" he asked, watching Tatsuyoshi make his way back across the mess hall.

"Do what?"

"Just, breeze through life like that."

Rukia shrugged one shoulder. "I don't know. He was from a better part of the Rukongai, so he didn't have it as bad as we did. But then again, he just seems to be a generally relaxed person."

"Yeah, I guess," Renji mumbled, watching the tables around him. "I can't wait to get started, though. I'm gonna get to the top of my class in no time!"

"You _would_ think that," Rukia sniffed.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!" Renji growled.

"It means you're all brawn and no brains," Rukia snapped back. "You need intelligence to do well here, not just muscles!"

"What do _you_ know?" Renji smirked and patted her condescendingly on the head. "_You're _just in the regular class. They probably don't talk about the big stuff in front of you—"

A vein throbbed on Rukia's forehead. "Why, you insensitive—"

"Don't push me—"

Tatsuyoshi sat back down, watching the two with growing amusement. As they snarled and wrestled with one another, drawing the attention of half the room, he glanced furtively left and right. _Perfect, a diversion!_ He reached out with his chopsticks and stole a large chunk of Renji's rice and, when no one seemed to care, swiped the whole bowl.

x x x x

Twenty minutes later, when Tatsuyoshi finally managed to disentangle Renji and Rukia, they set off across the courtyard towards the massive Lecture Hall. Rukia had wanted to allow them at least half an hour's grace period to find their respective classrooms. Many of the other students had the same idea, and were strolling across the courtyard through the light morning sun. Several older students were also making their way across the grounds, looking tall and impressive in their uniforms.

They split up upon reaching the Lecture Hall. Rukia wandered off to her regular Hohō class, and Tatsuyoshi went off to Kidō theory. "Don't be an idiot and spend the next ten minutes looking for your classroom, Renji," he called over his shoulder as he walked down the hall.

"Like I'd be that stupid," he scoffed back.

Fifteen minutes later he tore into the classroom, eyes roaming the rows of desks. Several students looked at him quizzically as he moved in through the door, gasping for breath. Ignoring them, Renji quickly chose an empty seat on the right side of the room, near the middle. The room was only about half-full, but more students were trickling in as the clock ticked. The instructor, a large bald man with dark skin and shining glasses, was standing at the forefront of the room in front of a lecture podium, waiting for all the students to arrive.

At last, when the room was full and every seat was taken, the man raised his head. "Good morning, freshmen!" he boomed. "My name is Gengoro Ounabara. I am pleased to inform you that your exam scores were the highest. In other words, welcome to the advanced class!" He looked around the room, as though expecting them all to burst into cheers. "Of course, this means that expectations are higher for you, as well. You must train hard and strive to not merely serve your future squad, but to excel in each of your various pursuits!"

_Man, this guy's like a broken record,_ Renji thought distastefully, his chin resting on his palm as he fought to look interested. _Just how many times has he given this stupid speech?_

"Now, class, we are going to get started with hohō theory. Many of you may think that hohō is a generic skill that simply requires practice, rather than note-taking. Guess what? You're _wrong_!" Ounabara bellowed, causing half the class to jump. "Hohō is one of the most refined arts in the Soul Reaper Academy, and it is also very difficult to master. As such, you will need to understand the basics as well as the fundamentals of this art before attempting to perform it. Take out your notebooks now; we'll begin with a quick history of shunpo and its applications in the field..."

Renji spent the next hour jotting down notes, paying close attention to the echoing voice of Ounabara. While the man was boring, he definitely wanted to excel in his physical studies, and if that meant having to suffer through extended periods of note-taking and lecturing, so be it.

When the bell rang, Renji had filled two and a half pages of his book with writing. Writing down the date in the top right hand corner of the pages, he collected the notes into a shoulder bag he had been supplied with and hurried with the crowd of students out of the door. He had only ten minutes to get to the Hohō field at the Training Hall, and he didn't even know where to find it. Grimacing, he began to sprint down the hallway, heading for the Lecture Hall entrance.

He spotted the Training Hall almost immediately after getting outside; it was a large building in the distance that appeared to have many open sections. It took him almost five minutes to reach it, and he couldn't even find his room for another ten. At last, he came across a wood sign with "Room 19" written across it, just outside a large gym. Swallowing hard, he pulled the door open and entered.

The instructor was already in the middle of lecturing the class as Renji approached awkwardly from the side. The group of students were all sitting in rows on the gym floor. Several of their heads turned in his direction as he approached, before turning back to the instructor.

"Who the hell are you?" the large man said gruffly, looking over at him. He was dressed in Soul Reaper robes and had a thick, bushy moustache.

"Renji Abarai, sir. I'm sorry for—" he started, but the teacher cut him off.

"You're obviously not one of my students, because you walked through that door five minutes late. My students get here on time. My class starts at 9:40 a.m. sharp."

"I-I'm sorry," Renji stammered. "I got lost."

"You want a map then? I'm assuming you don't need one to take a seat."

Ignoring the soft muttering around him, Renji turned rigidly and moved to a spot at the back row, his face flaming. So _what_ if he had gotten lost? It was his first day. He had never been to the Training Hall before.

_Just suck it up,_ he thought, rolling his shoulders. There was no point moping about it; he had been chewed out and that was that. He would just have to try extra hard to make the teacher respect him.

"Now, I cannot teach you hohō until your conditioning is at a level that allows me to do so," the instructor yelled out to the room. "You know what that means? For this entire period, you will run." A outbreak of muttering swept across the rows; the instructor cleared his throat loudly and the chatter died off immediately. "If you are late, you will run. If you give me attitude, you will do push ups. So you can push up, or shut up. That's up to you."

_This guy's nuts,_ Renji thought dismally.

"All right, everybody get up. I want to see how many laps of this gym you can do in one hour and twenty minutes." Sighing, Renji pushed himself to his feet along with the other students. The instructor raised a whistle to his lips and blew it loudly. "Hop to it."

The sound of pounding feet immediately resounded across the gym as the students began their laps in a large crowd. Renji quickly moved to the head of the group, slipping in between students to get there. He was determined to not come off as weak, and the only way to do that was to be the best. Gritting his teeth, he felt the blood beginning to rush through his body as he ran.

Suddenly a girl pulled up next to him, dark red hair pulled into a ponytail. "Hey there," she said easily, her voice calm despite the uneven jogging.

"H-hi," Renji said, surprised. He had no idea who she was, but she seemed completely at ease.

"You've got a very determined look about you, fellow student," the girl said, grinning. Her maroon eyes were wide and mischievous. She looked athletic and pretty, with long legs and a firm chest. He felt heat rising in his cheeks and was glad they were exercising.

"I could say the same about you," Renji pointed out, covering.

"Yeah, well," the girl said offhandedly, "Sensei Okamodo's kind of a hard ass. I'd hate for him to think me as a delicate little flower, since I fully plan on kicking his ass later on in the year."

Renji nearly tripped in surprise. The girl had spunk, that was clear. But it was also amusing. She shot him a sunny grin as she ran, her ponytail bouncing. "So what about you, Red Pineapple?"

"Red... what the hell?!" Renji sputtered. "What the hell kind of name is that?!"

The girl shrugged. "Well, your hair's red and you have it in that spiky ponytail. I've got to call you something, haven't I?"

"And you couldn't think of anything less stupid than that?!"

She winked at him. "Maybe. Who knows?"

Renji growled at her. "I'm gonna make you regret that."

"Ooh, a challenge?" the girl said brightly, picking up her pace. "Tell you what, I'm going for two hundred laps. If you can beat my score, I won't call you Red Pineapple anymore. Okay, Red Pineapple?"

"Hey!" he shouted, but she was already gone, sprinting off ahead, giggling. Renji shook his head and tore after her, his feet pounding on the hard wood floor as he hurried to catch up.

They all ran for the next hour. His limbs grew watery and started burning, but he refused to stop of give up. He kept pace with the girl throughout the entire time, running at her side. She grinned at him every now and then; he would respond in kind, both of them unconsciously goading the other on. His face became drenched with sweat, and his feet fell heavier on the floor. The girl's red hair became damp with sweat, her ponytail fluttering behind her. The rest of the class became more and more dispersed, as the slower students fell to the back of the group and the faster ones overlapped them.

"Ready to give up yet?" she panted, at an hour and ten minutes. Renji shook his head. "Not even close," he gasped. A stitch was digging painfully into his side.

"Keep moving!" Sensei Okamodo shouted. "Only ten minutes left!"

The girl gave him a strained smile. "Sorry, Pineapple, but this is where we part ways."

"What do you—?" he started, when the girl suddenly vanished from next to him. He nearly tripped in surprise. She was moving so quickly around the room it was as though she were flying. Panicked, Renji also put on a burst of reserved speed, but he still couldn't catch the girl. She raced around him time after time, until finally the whistle blew for the final time.

"All right, we're done!" Sensei Okamodo called. The majority of the students collapsed where they stood, gasping for breath. Several of them hobbled over to benches on the sidelines of the room, falling heavily into them and reaching for water bottles in their bags. Renji followed them, his heart fit to burst inside his chest. His entire body (his face, especially) was radiating heat; he could feel it pouring from him in waves every time his heart beat. He slumped heavily onto a bench, reaching down with shaking hands for a water bottle. Popping the cap, he dumped the lot over his head, sighing as the liquid seeped over his hair and down his shirt.

"Hey, there," the girl panted, dropping down next to him. Her ponytail was sticking damply to her neck and her face was as red as his own. "Fun run, don't you think?"

Renji groaned. The girl laughed breathlessly. "You did pretty well, you know."

"Thanks." He had reached two hundred and seventeen laps, which was quite an impressive feat. The next freshman had only reached one eighty. "You're really good too. I've never seen someone move as fast as you." The girl had reached an astonishing two hundred and thirty two laps, the difference between them being made up in the last several minutes.

"Thanks," she beamed, pulling out her own water bottle and taking a long draught. "But you know what this means, don't you?"

Renji groaned again.

"I'm sure we're going to have a long and beautiful relationship, Red Pineapple," she grinned, hobbling to her feet. "See you later!"

The bell rang and she all but danced out of the gym. Renji shook his head. _Girls._ Who understood them?


	5. Struck Dumb

_Only when I stop to think about you,  
I know  
Only when you stop to think about me,  
Do you know_

_I hate everything about you  
Why do I love you?  
You hate everything about me  
Why do you love me?_

--I Hate Everything About You, Three Days Grace

----------------------------------------------------------

Renji was simply too exhausted to run the entire way back to the Lecture Hall, so he settled for a light jog, ignoring the protesting burn in his calves. The rest of his class were too tired to do the same, and fell behind as he made his way across the grounds. The redhead was nowhere to be seen.

He arrived at the Lecture Hall with three minutes to reach his classroom. Panicking slightly, Renji dodged in and out between groups of wandering students. He didn't want to be late for yet another class, and give another professor reason to dislike him. He really needed to—

"Hey, watch it, you idiot!"

He smacked right into someone petit and warm and swearing. "Rukia?"

"No, the Head Captain," she said sarcastically, frowning up at him. "Thanks for nearly crushing me — wow, you look awful!" The corners of her mouth lifted and her frown turned into a sly smile. "Having a rough time in the _advanced class_?" she said in a honeyed tone.

"Oh, shut up," he growled, fixing her with a glare. "At least I'm _in_ the advanced class."

"So? I must say, I never realized your face could turn redder than your hair. Kind of looks like a tomato..."

"Oh, yeah?" he snarled, taking a step forward, towering over Rukia. "You think you're real funny, don't you?"

"Hey, relax," she said in mock nervousness. "I was just kid—hey!" she yelped as he tickled her ribs. "Renji, cut it out! _Hey!_ Stop!"

And she ran off down the long hallway, and he chased after her like when they were little kids.

He found out Rukia had the same Soul Society History class as he did, since the advanced and regular classes shared courses that were not centred upon the four basic Soul Reaper fighting techniques, the Zankensoki. After he cornered her and tickled her into submission, she told him where their classroom was, and they made it in just as the bell was ringing.

Renji looked around self-consciously at the students all around the room, trying not to stare. He saw a few faces he recognized from his Hohō classes, but the majority were people he had never seen before. He stood next to Rukia, looking for an empty seat.

"Over there," she whispered, nudging his ribs. "Right side."

There were two empty seats at a long desk near the back edge of the room. Renji walked over and sat down, Rukia joining him. He took out his notebooks and reached for a calligraphy brush next to the nearest inkpot. The professor at the forefront of the room, an old man with large glasses and a thick white moustache, rapped a long wooden pointer on his desk. The hushed conversations the other students were having ceased immediately.

"Welcome to Soul Society History," the professor said calmly. The room was quiet apart from his quiet voice, which seemed to permeate every corner of the room despite its softness. Renji could tell he was a man with the ability to keep a class in line without effort. "In this class you will be taught of the basic workings of the Seireitei and the surrounding Rukon District. You will also learn..."

"Psst," someone whispered from behind him. "Hey. Red Pineapple."

He turned around in shock. One row back and grinning at him from several seats away was the redhead girl from his Hohō class. His jaw dropped. She winked at him, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "Pay attention. The professor will get angry," she said, in an exaggerated singsong voice. Grunting, Renji turned back to the front of the room, determinedly ignoring Rukia's questioning glance. Just his luck that the nutty girl was in his class.

The rest of the lesson passed away without much incident. After an hour, the bell rang loudly and Renji trekked back to the Residence Hall with Rukia for a quick lunch. The redhead had mysteriously disappeared from class before they did, but Renji didn't think too much on that. He was sure he'd see her around again at some point.

Tatsuyoshi was conspicuously absent during lunch, which surprised Renji slightly. He had expected the brown haired boy to have been inhaling the nearest food dishes by the time they arrived, but when it was twenty to one and about to leave, he still hadn't shown up.

"Where do you think he went?" Rukia asked, frowning.

Renji shrugged. "He probably fell asleep somewhere, knowing him."

He parted ways with Rukia, who was off to her first Kidō class, and made his way alone across the courtyard to the Training Hall, refreshed. In a delightful change of pace, he was one of the first students to arrive in the large indoor training field. Several others were already there, doing stretches and warming up with practice swings of their wooden swords. Renji spent the time doing push-ups in the corner, limbering up his muscles before selecting a wooden sword from the display rack. It was quite similar to the one he had used during his zanjutsu exam.

The door slid open and a young girl walked into the room. Renji glanced at the doorway, then did a double take. It was the pale girl with the light grey scarf around her head. He stared at her for a moment, but she didn't look over as she strolled casually over to the wall, leaning against it and focusing her gaze on the instructor. After a moment, Renji turned away from her and continued his exercises. He wasn't sure why the girl enticed him so. He didn't even know her.

The instructor called the class to session a few minutes later. "Welcome to zanjutsu class," he said. He had short, spiky dark hair and wore a black _hakama_ with a deep blue uniform. "You've all scored high in your zanjutsu entrance exam, and as such, the Soul Reaper Academy has high expectations of you. You will be expected to demonstrate the same skill and fortitude that you have shown your examiner. If you have all selected a sword, please divide into two straight lines on either side of the room."

There was a brief flurry of activity as the students lined up along the sides of the large, spacious room. Renji joined them, seating himself between a younger boy who looked almost like a child, and a blonde-haired boy who had deep, somewhat lidded eyes. He felt excitement and apprehension flooding his veins.

"To begin, we will be taking the training relatively slow," the instructor said. "You will each be called to spar with another student. The first to incapacitate the other, or force them into submission, will be declared the victor. These sparring matches are so I can get a decent inspection of your separate abilities." He clapped his hands once. "First match: Kira vs. Kenta."

"Yes, sir!" two voices chorused. The blonde boy next to Renji stood and walked to the centre of the large gym, joined by a darker haired boy from the other row. They squared off against each other, wooden swords at the ready.

"Begin," the instructor ordered.

Both boys sprang forward in a flash of movement, battering at each other's defences. Renji watched with an appraising eye, as did several other students. The scarf girl was at the far end of the opposite row, watching with intense violet eyes. Three seats down, the hulking giant with the scar was staring at the two impassively. Renji analyzed the fight as it continued.

_That blonde kid... he's got good moves, but he doesn't swing with enough strength. He should be easy to beat. And that other kid is an amateur. This fight will be over in moments._

True enough, the blonde kid spun around in a dizzying spiral and slammed the wood sword down upon the other boy's wrist, causing him to drop his sword. "Match, Kira," the instructor called, and the room broke out into a smattering of polite applause.

"Next: Idono vs. Li," the instructor rapped out, and two other students took their place in the centre of the room.

The fights continued on, and the whole time Renji watched with interest. Most of the kids were nothing special, being merely passable with their weapons. Despite the repetitiveness of the bouts, Renji took the time to study each student, observing their separate fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses. Renji was only astonished once.

"Tokiwa vs. Fuji," the instructor called.

The muscular youth with the scar stood quietly and lumbered over to the centre of the room, facing a young, wiry boy who looked terrified by his opponent. His body looked painfully weaker than the buff giant before him, who was clutching his wooden sword in just one hand.

"Begin," the instructor called, and the wiry boy leapt forward immediately, thrusting and stabbing with his sword. The bigger student did not even move, simply stood his ground, effortlessly blocking each blow while wielding the sword with one arm. Renji's eyebrows rose as he observed the battle – or lack thereof – with growing interest.

This _guy has skill. He might be my best competition in this class._

The idea was reinforced a split second later when the large student struck out suddenly, landing a blow at the hilt of the boy's sword and sending it spiraling out into the air. The boy froze, looking stunned. The entire class was watching, open-mouthed.

"Match, Tokiwa," the instructor said approvingly. The class, too late, began to applaud, but it was hushed and scattered. The large student did not react in the slightest, merely sitting once more and staring forward once more.

"Next: Abarai vs. Hitorishi."

Renji got to his feet, grinning. He cracked his neck and moved to the centre of the gym. Finally, it was his turn to show some promise. _I won't let that huge kid show me up._

His grin vanished and turned onto a gape of surprise when the girl with the scarf moved away from her row and made her way across the room. She walked with a defined sophistication, despite her cool nature. The uniform top hugged her curved figure closely, highlighting her luscious body in all the right places. He swallowed hard. _Damn. Why do I have to fight her?_ He hated fighting girls, and a pretty one at that...

The girl stopped before him and as she looked up and met his gaze, her eyes widened in shock. Her soft, pink lips parted in a gasp and her hand twitched, almost as though she had started to bring it up to her mouth in surprise before she controlled herself. Renji blinked, confused. What was up with this girl?

"Begin," the instructor called.

Shrugging away his doubts, Renji moved forward and struck before the girl was ready. He didn't know who she was, but for some reason he didn't want to hurt her. _Where the hell did that come from?_ He thought, appalled. This was a fight. There was no room for hesitation, or for weakness. But here this mystical girl with her exotic eyes and perfect body was making him forget everything he had ever learned. _Goddamn it, who _is _she? _

_I'll soften my blows so so I don't hurt her._

His sword came at her in a sweeping twist, aiming for her neck. She barely managed to dodge it in time, snapping out of her stupor as his next attack went straight for her face. She brought her wooden sword up and deflected the blow to the side, before lunging at him with her eyes narrowed.

They whirled around each other again and again, using every inch of the floor. She was faster than him, Renji established immediately, able to duck and roll and somersault around him so fluidly it was as though her body was made of liquid. Her advantage came from her unpredictability. Her strikes came at him from every conceivable angle, causing him to use every evasive tactic he knew and his own cunning to ward off her attacks.

However, he was stronger than her, and they both knew it. Her blows were quick and hard, hammering down like rain, but they did not have much power behind them. While he was slower, he landed his attacks with much greater force, causing her to stumble back with each successful hit. He also surprised her with strategy, mimicking her technique by employing unorthodox dodges and attacks that made it seem as though he was retreating, when in reality he was actually moving closer to her.

The girl's mouth was drawn into a tight grimace as she fought, lips tensed. He tried not to focus on her face... or her lips... or the slight sheen of perspiration on her creamy skin, causing her body to glow as she attacked, the scarf trailing behind her like smoke. He could hear _oohs_ and _aahs_ as the other students watched the fight on tenterhooks. He slowly drove the girl back, though he could see the hard determination in her eyes. She clearly wouldn't go down without a fight.

But then her foot slipped. The floor was wet with their sweat, and the girl was vulnerable for a split second. Seizing his advantage, Renji moved forward and kicked out with one foot, knocking the sword from her grip. He then brought his sword around in a sweeping arc, meaning to level it at her throat. However, the girl had stumbled when his foot made contact, and he misjudged her distance, striking her squarely on the side of the head. The girl let out a pained cry, her scarf dislodged by the hit. It melted off her and pooled on the floor.

"Oh, shit, I'm sor—" Renji's voice died in his throat. The girl's hair had flowed outward as the scarf was removed, cascading down her shoulders. It was vivid and green, the deepest and most perfect shade. As she moved her head and brought her hand up to cup her wounded temple, her hair turned a softer emerald under the ceiling lights.

_Oh, my God._

She was, without doubt, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"Um..." he stammered, immediately blushing. Her cool violet gaze locked with his dark brown one, though her mouth was still in a thin line.

"Match, Abarai," the instructor called. The room burst into applause.

"I didn't mean to do that," Renji said quietly, under the noise. He reached down and picked up her scarf, handing it to her. She snatched it from him quickly, and his eyebrows rose in surprise.

"It's nothing," she said sharply, turning away so he couldn't see her face. "Don't sweat it."

Why was she getting so defensive? It wasn't like he had hit her on purpose. "There's no need to get so angry," he said, feeling his own temper rise.

"Why don't you just keep your opinions to yourself?" she snapped.

He immediately felt incensed. Who the hell did this girl think she was? "Listen, you..." he started furiously, but she had already turned her back on him and strolled back to her seat. Renji uttered a deadly curse under his breath and turned away as well, sitting huffily back at his spot. He glared at the girl across the room, and when her eyes wandered back to him, they hardened as well.

"Next," the instructor called. Renji stared at the girl, but she turned her head away. He grinded his teeth together. Something was _with_ the girls here. They were all crazy. Well, Rukia had always been nuts. But then there was that redheaded speedster, and now this vicious green-haired...

He suddenly became aware that he was still looking at her. That in itself was unnerving. The girl was completely rude, and like an ice queen. She had no respect.

_So why can't I stop staring at her?_

He felt his heartbeat speed up in confusion. She was brushing dampened locks of her bright green hair back, though several strands were plastered to her neck. He felt a stirring in his blood as the girl stretched, arching her back, and Renji's face burned. There was definitely something wrong with him. The girl had almost bitten off his head, yet here he was ogling her curves. He turned back to watch the next sparring match, doing his best to ignore her, and wrestling with his disquiet as he continued to steal glances at her for the remainder of the lesson.


End file.
